E-learning and the first year experience : a framework for best practice

This paper presents a progress report on Phase 1 of a project investigating optimal ways of preparing first year students for adapting to university e-learning environments, with a view to enhancing the quality of their learning experiences, particularly in online environments. This paper draws on the outcomes of the Australian contribution to a cross-national collaboration among a team of investigators from Australia, New Zealand, the United States and the United Kingdom who have identified a series of best practices in relation to introducing first year students to e-learning at university. The Australian study draws on the international draft framework" currently under development" with a particular focus on implications for the quality of the first year experience in Australian higher education contexts.